US Secretary of State Meeting / Army Still Linked to Security

Meeting with US Secretary of State. President López Obrador said he will meet today with US Secretary of State Antony Blinken for a routine conference on bilateral issues and USMCA. The president highlighted his good relationship with US President Joe Biden and denied claims regarding a possible conflict between Mexico and the US over energy policies under USMCA.

“There cannot be a conflict because we have mutually beneficial policies. We are no longer under the threat of foreign governments retaliating, going as far as invading us,” said the president.

The US, however, has already requested consultations under USMCA regarding Mexico’s energy policies. “The consultations relate to certain measures by Mexico that undermine American companies and US-produced energy in favor of Mexico’s state-owned electrical utility CFE and state-owned oil and gas company PEMEX,” reads the US Trade Representative Office release.

Marcelo Ebrard to attend Queen Elizabeth’s funeral. The president highlighted that Minister of Foreign Relations Marcelo Ebrard will be the one representing Mexico during the late Queen Elizabeth’s funeral. “We will RSVP to the King in due time,” he said.

Army still in charge of security. López Obrador supported the initiative to allow the Army to collaborate in security matters up until 2028. “It would be good for all of us to allow the Army and the Navy to participate in security matters,” he said. He also called for a public consultation in 2027 regarding the National Guard’s relation with SEDENA.

Last week, the president thanked senators and deputies for approving the National Guard reform, which makes it operationally and administratively dependent on SEDENA. The reform was approved with 69 votes in favor, 50 against and an objection in a session that lasted more than 11 hours. The opposition, however, has accused López Obrador’s government of militarizing the country and is planning to file an unconstitutionality action against the reform so that it can be suspended.

Condolences and pending rescues. President López Obrador shared his condolences with the families of the victims of an accident in Tamaulipas where 18 migrants died after a collision between a bus and a fuel pipe. An investigation is underway, he says.

The president also said rescue efforts are advancing at Sabinas, Coahuila, where 10 miners were trapped after a coal mine collapsed and flooded on Aug. 3. The recently approved rescue plan is expected to take around six months. However, in case there are complications, it could take up to 11 months.